Chapter 1 - Safe in my arms
"Mrs Salvatore? Could you please move your seat into the upright position? We will be landing shortly."
Her eyes popped open in annoyance. Being on a plane was not on Elena's must do list even when flying in business class. She felt for those stuck down in economy with no room to do anything. Really she should be feeling far more refreshed: the flight from New York to Paris was a breeze and on arrival she'd spent a couple of hours in the airline's VIP lounge where she ate a creamy chicken dish and drank a glass of champagne before boarding the next plane to San Pedro in the African state of Ivory Coast.
Two different flights and sixteen hours later she'd just managed to drift off into a light slumber. Elena glanced at her watch-quarter past twelve in the afternoon and that was New York time. Which meant it was sometime after four here, she adjusted the time accordingly. Flinging the shutter upwards she glared out the window: the grey and overcast skies souring her sleep deprived brain even further. So where is this wonderful weather she was promised?
Elena thought about Damon and the reason for her visit. He'd been working here for over two months. His work had taken him to many far flung places in the world and one of her favorites was the great southern land of Australia but this time he was in Cote D'Ivoire in Africa. The oil and gas company he worked for was fairly new in terms of drilling. The onshore site was about an hour from the port city of San Pedro. They had their own independence but a recent spate of civil unrest saw their country in turmoil, however it seemed things had settled down.
The stewardess was making her rounds again so she moved her seat into the upright position. This year the summer break was taking her far away from all teaching duties for a generous eight weeks. She was happy to be spending time apart from some of the teenagers who had a whole heap of attitude, and left her thinking she should of become a kindergarten teacher instead.
Elena watched through the small window as the plane began its descent through the clouds. A few bumps of turbulence saw her gripping the armchair tight. Damn and damn. I hate this flying bullshit. Closing her eyes she thought of Damon. Their goodbye back in the States felt like so long ago now.
"I'm going to miss you my beautiful wife. I hate leaving you baby."
"Stop. You are going to make me cry. Sometimes I wonder if this is going to be the last time I ever see you. I worry Damon. I worry that I'm going to watch the news later on and find out that your plane crashed into the ocean with no survivors. Or that some of these countries they send you to are far too dangerous for anyone."
He pulled her into his arms, peppering her face with kisses. "I'm sorry I can't give you any guarantees. Just know if something did happen I'd always find my way back to you, that's a promise. I'll call as soon as I've landed. I love you Elena."
She kissed his lips and stared into his tropical blue eyes. "Be safe. I love you so much. I already miss you." This time he was going for far longer than any of the other times before. How was she going to do it? He was her lover and best friend all rolled into one.
Reluctantly she let him go, with a backward glance and a wave Damon headed for the boarding gate. Elena watched until he was safely through before she left the airport in a flood of tears. Why did this time feel so different?
It'd been close to ten weeks since she'd been in his arms and felt his body close to hers. Oh yes, they'd be taking to that bed with a do not disturb hanging on the door for days. She felt the tension in her limbs fade away because in less than twenty minutes his smiling face and sweet lips would be kissing her all day and all night.
They'd passed through most of the bad weather so peeking one eye open she looked outside and saw the rugged coast with an ocean so blue it was near translucent. Elena could see herself in a shameless bikini and ridding her ghastly pale skin into one kissed by the rays of the sun.
The captain made the final descent and they landed a mere five minutes later. Trudging through the sea of people she'd cleared customs and walked towards the baggage claim area. Back home Elena barely paid heed but here she noticed the populated presence of both police and army personnel patrolling back and forth. Her heart stopped when one of them caught her stare and stopped mid step with his rifle poised in her direction.
"Welcome to Cote D'Ivoire" he said, in his native French tongue.
She exhaled deeply relieved he wasn't about to take her away for some interrogation or worse, a strip search. "Thank you," she said, briskly made her way to baggage carousel 6. The desperate need to be in her husband's arms flowed through her veins. She watched the blue suitcase hurtle along the conveyor belt and after hauling it off Elena made her way through to the arrivals hall.
She saw him as soon as the doors slid open. His skin was far more bronzed making those blue eyes which were now worshipping her every step more electrifying. She ran to him basking in the feel of Damon's strong arms engulfing her through the air. Winding her hands around his neck her lips found his, their kiss soft and gentle, everything and more. When she opened her eyes he was staring at her with a mixture of love, happiness and desire. Cradling him closer, she breathed in his essence. "Hmm you smell as good as ever. I'm relieved to be on the ground because I really despise flying."
He laughed placing her back on an even level. "Well what other choice do you have? By boat would take too far long my love."
Whacking his arm playfully she said, "I know. I'm just exhausted. How much have you missed me?"
All joking aside, his face grew serious. "Elena like I've told you before-I can't stand being away from you for more than a week tops." His finger swept the hair from her eyes. "I'm really happy you're here."
When he stared at her like that it felt like they were the only two people in the world. She knew Damon meant it. They'd been joined at the hip for many years and now they were into their third year of marriage. She hated being away from him. Embracing one another they walked towards the exit. "I know the feeling. God I've missed you Damon."
He fumbled with the car keys unlocking a black jeep parked right near the entry. Damon dropped her bags in the trunk and opened the passenger door. She slid past laying a kiss upon his lips. "Thank you." Climbing in beside him, they drove through the crazy and jammed streets of the city. "What is it like here?"
He shrugged. "It's different. Most of the locals are lovely and accommodating and others not so much. I'm not going to lie Elena, it can be dangerous." Damon's eyes roamed across the intersection. "In some of the towns and cities stopping at a red light can see you held up with a gun pointed at your head and a trigger if you don't oblige."
She felt the icy chill creep along her skin. "Will we be safe at the apartment complex? I don't intend on doing much except for swimming, relaxing by the pool and reading some books."
Damon changed gears. "Yes. It's manned with security personnel and is built like Fort Knox. Promise me you'll never go anywhere without me OK?"
Pushing her worries away, she said, "I could of sworn I saw dark overcast skies before but look at this weather now. I can't wait to lounge on a deck chair and enjoy a cocktail by the beach."
Damon glanced at her, seduction etched onto his perfect face. "Sex on the beach did you say?"
She whacked his leg. "Don't get any ideas Mr. Salvatore, I'm a lady."
{~}
They finally arrived at the high walled fortress resembling more like a prison than a residential zone with its razor barbed wire and floodlights on every corner. The armed security guard at the entry checked Damon's credentials before allowing the boom gate to open. A complex of twenty apartments were nestled safely inside. He pulled into the carpark underneath apartment 10.
Damon's place was big enough for two. The bedroom faced the sea opening up to a large tiled balcony area with an outdoor setting. The living room had a cosy two seater sofa and flat screen TV with cable and a combined kitchen, dining just big enough to utilise. "How is it that you can live so neatly here? I'm amazed. When we get home I'm hiring a cleaner."
She felt his presence behind her and his hands settling around her waist. Very lightly he planted kisses along her neck until he reached the delicate shell of her lobe. His voice blew against her ear, "I'm loving the view right now."
His touch was driving her insane and wiggling her ass against him he grasped her hips and slid one hand up down the valley of her thighs. Swallowing hard, his fingers swiftly unzipped the barrier between them and slid her panties to the side. His teeth bit down gently on her lobe as he eased one finger inside and out again slowly.
Writhing beneath his magic touch, she moaned, "I love you. I've missed our amazing sex."
Damon continued his strokes, his arousal pressing against her back. "You have me on fire, I want you so bad."
Thrust after thrust he toyed with her until she could take no more. "Oh my I'm Damon..." Feeling light headed and about to drop he scooped her up onto the sofa.
"Elena?"
Smiling she straddled herself on his lap and took his mouth deeply into her own, his tussles against hers joined them together as one. Their kisses became urgent when he ripped the blouse off her back and lifted the lace bra covering her breasts. His mouth lowered over the nipple swirling the taut peak with his tongue. Desperate to feel his naked flesh inside hers she fumbled for his zipper. "Damon. I need you.. Now."
Their passion was interrupted by the loud chiming of the doorbell. They stopped, lips stilled against each others. His face masked with both annoyance and unfulfilled desire. "This better be fucking important."
She nodded, slowly removing herself from his lap and hurried to the bedroom. "Don't keep me waiting."
Damon grimaced, yelling out when the doorbell chimed again. "Hold on. Just give me a sec." Now that his arousal was slowly retreating back behind his jeans he made a move towards the door. Who he saw on the security screen made him curse, "You have to be fucking kidding me." Undoing the volume of locks slowly he flung the door open. "What's going on?"
Ric walked right in like he owned the damn place. "You are home. I have bourbon, want to join me?"
The door slammed behind him. What was he going to say? Sorry buddy but I was just about to have mind blowing sex with my wife. Now fuck off and let me bang her? Hmm the thought did cross his mind thinking of Elena naked and waiting for him in bed.
The guy wanted company and as it happened they'd become friends since arriving here. Alaric Saltzman hailed from Chicago and learnt his stripes working from the bottom up to what he was today, the Site Manager of Ivory Oil. Alaric was the man in charge, he ran the show and was responsible for a whole lot of employees. He'd divorced his wife some five years ago. No kids and theirs was an amicable break up.
Damon grabbed the glasses from the cabinet, setting them on the bench. "One and done OK Ric?" He smirked, taking the bottle from his friends hands and filling the tumblers to the half way mark.
Ric took a drink. "So when is your wife arriving? Tonight was it?"
No dimwit, she's here right now hot and eager for my loving. He crunched down on the ice. What was she doing right now? Touching parts of her body his lips were aching to devour? "Actually Elena got in about half an hour ago."
Right on cue he caught a glimpse of his wife heading towards them. She'd donned one of his casual black t-shirts and skimmed up the torn remains of her blouse laying on the floor. Her hair was swept into a loose ponytail. God damn Elena still looked as sexy as hell with a pair of denim shorts revealing her long legs. Yeah ones that should be wrapped around his waist right about now. She saw his gaze and mouthed sorry and shrugged.
Finally taking his eyes off her, he said, "This is my wife Elena."
His boss swivelled around quickly. "Hey Elena. I'm Alaric – just call me Ric. This guy talks about you all the time. I had no idea you'd already arrived." The guy slapped his hand against his head. "Wait. Did I interrupt? Geez my timing is way off. I'm out of here sorry for the intrusion." He got up heading towards the door.
Elena laughed. "It's fine, no hurry. Damon's mentioned you and I'm glad he has a friend to keep him company here. I was just about to grab a drink, a cocktail actually."
He quizzed both of them. "Are you sure? I don't want to impose?"
Damon patted his back. "You heard the lady. Stay." He rummaged through the liquor bottle cabinets. "What do you feel like Lena? Martini? Gin and tonic?"
"Martini please."
Mixing the liquor together he poured the contents into the blender whizzing it up into a potent cocktail. "For you darling." Her fingers grazed against his when he handed her the glass and the electricity pulsed through his veins at her touch. It reignited the passion flowing between them both. He stared at her lips full and primed for his loving before his gaze dropped to her perky breasts he knew were currently bra less. He resisted the urge to reach up and caress them with his hands.
Elena took a large gulp of her drink, averting her eyes away from his. "Thanks. So Alaric do you and Damon share the same roster?"
"We do. I've got four weeks off now to spend at my leisure. You're here for how long?"
"I'm on summer break from school. Eight weeks for me. I've missed my husband dearly."
He grinned looking between the two of them. "I love that you guys are so into each other. I couldn't say the sane about my ex, Isobel. I think she was ecstatic when I went away. Are you a school teacher?"
Elena nodded. "English. High school."
"You know I'd thought about becoming a history teacher many years ago. But that wasn't too be."
Damon shoved him playfully. "That's right because here you are Mr Oil Man."
Ric checked his cell phone when it began vibrating in his pocket. "Never a dull moment," he muttered and scrolled through his emails.
Elena excused herself and went to sit outside on the balcony. "So is it work? Can't they cope without you?" Damon asked.
He frowned. "You need to read this." Ric slid his phone over to him.
Damon eyes quickly scanned over the screen. Ivory Oil has been advised of the potential for civil unrest in parts of the country due to upcoming elections. We're issuing a caution to all employees to be vigilant in and around the San Pedro area.
He immediately looked to his wife, wondering why the fuck he invited her to such a place. Her safety was his responsibility and if anything happened he'd never forgive himself. "We get these warnings once in awhile. We'll be fine."
Ric agreed. "Yep nothing to worry about. Anyway thanks buddy but I've intruded on your time enough. Enjoy the rest of your night."
Seeing him to the door, Damon said, "Don't be a stranger. We can still chill together."
Laughing he headed up the drive towards his own apartment. "Go be with your lovely wife."
Elena was standing in the entry when he turned around. "Has Ric gone already? Is everything alright Damon?"
Sweeping her into his arms he murmured, "It's nothing. I don't want to think about work. I've missed you like hell and we have lots to make up for baby." Giggling like a pair of teenagers they entered the bedroom and kicked the door shut behind him.